Some of the most notable ones:
- 1942: Chicago Pile-1: the first human-made nuclear chain reaction.
- 1943: X-10 Graphite Reactor: an intermediate step between the nuclear chain reaction prototype Chicago Pile-1 and the full blown mass production at Hanford site. Located in the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
- 1944: B Reactor at the Hanford site produced the plutonium used for Trinity and Fat Man
A nuclear reactor made to produce specific isotopes rather than just consume fissile material to produce electrical power. The most notably application being to produce Plutonium-239 for nuclear weapons from Uranium-238 being irradiated from Uranium-235-created fission.
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A nuclear reactor is a device that facilitates a controlled nuclear chain reaction, primarily for the purpose of generating electricity, although it can also be used for research or producing industrial and medical isotopes. Here’s a brief overview of how it operates and its key components: ### Key Components: 1. **Nuclear Fuel**: Typically composed of isotopes like uranium-235 or plutonium-239, which undergo fission when bombarded by neutrons.